Oak Ridge City Council discussed an Extreme Energy Makeover Project being considered by TVA and the city during a recent work session at the Central Services Complex.

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By Beverly Majors/The Oak Ridger

Oakridger - Oak Ridge, TN

By Beverly Majors/The Oak Ridger

Posted Dec. 10, 2013 at 7:15 PM

By Beverly Majors/The Oak Ridger

Posted Dec. 10, 2013 at 7:15 PM

Oak Ridge City Council discussed an Extreme Energy Makeover Project being considered by TVA and the city during a recent work session at the Central Services Complex.

The city wants to seek federal grant money and be apart of the state’s project to reduce energy consumption.

The Tennessee Valley Authority has entered into a mitigation agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency to provide grants totaling $20 million during the next five years in support of the Tennessee Valley Smart Energy Communities initiative.

According to information from the city’s Community Development Department, the Extreme Energy Makeovers (Project B) will be established for at least two communities of homes or residences located in different climate regions in the Tennessee Valley. Project B will include cost-effective, deep-energy retrofits, maximizing the use of the energy reduction measures and focusing on a whole house approach.

The grant would be $5 million for the recipients, which the city wants to secure.

In anticipation of becoming a recipient, the city has established partnerships and volunteer resources with Keith Powell Heating & Cooling, Jeff Lewis Electric, The Pipe Doctor, STRATA G, Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties or ADFAC (energy audits), Habitat for Humanity, Pro-Foam, Patterson Appliance and Home Depot.

The city secured those businesses partnerships to do an Extreme Energy Makeover on a city-owned house at 115 S. Lansing Road. Once the energy makeover is complete, the city can collect current energy usage data and compare it to prior energy usage data and make baseline costs associated with the makeovers.

Mayor Tom Beehan said the project gives the city a chance to look at its legacy housing in a new way.

He said the money could be used to update houses, stating the money could be used for insulation and windows.

“It could be an immediate advantage and help protect housing,” he said. “It would give people an increase in pay and use less energy.”

“Oak Ridge is perfect for that,” Council member Charlie Hensley said. “For the alphabet housing, it could be a 25 percent energy reduction.”